Pile salvage ring



Feb. 3, 1959 w. H. NEDDERMAN PILE SALVAGE RING Filed June 24, 1954 Arroz/wv@- United States Patent() PILE SALVAGE RING Wendell Herman Nedderman, College Station, Tex., as-

signor, by mesne assignments, to Gulf Oil Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application June 24, 1954, Serial No. 439,094

3 Claims. (Cl. 61-80) This invention relates to pile salvage apparatus and more particularly to a device for removing marine sediments from around an embedded pile by action -of an annular series of jets, thereby permitting the pile to be drawn for reuse.

The apparatus has particular utility in recovering piles such as are used for the anchorage and support of offshore drilling structures, which serve temporarily as working platforms and are then disassembled and moved to a different location. The depth of muddy sediment through which the piles must be driven to reach a firm foundation and the silting action of underwater currents combine to embed the piles so firmly that pulling Athem directly may be impossible in some circumstances. If the piles are severed at the mud line by high explosives or by other means, a considerable loss results, particularly when large steel piles are used, yet if left in place they would constitute a menace to navigation as well as a completely unrecoverable expense.

In accordance with the present invention, a hollow ring which comprises hinged semi-circular sections loosely encircling a pile is lowered to bottom by applied weights and at completion of the operation is retrieved by cables.

`The ring is provided with two annular series of orifices which are respectively directed upwardly and downwardly at an acute angle to the ring axis, and the ring is connected through hose or extensible pipe to a high pressure supply of water which is jetted toward the embedded pile so that the mud and sand gripping it will be loosened and flushed away suliiciently for the pile to be pulled.

The invention is described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a side elevation of the apparatus in position on a pile, certain parts being shown in dotted lines.

Figure 2 is a bottom view.

Figure 3 is a sectional View taken along the line III-III of Figure 2.

The ring comprises a hollow annular member formed of semi-circular hollow segments 11 and 12. These are of polygonal cross-section having outer and inner parallel surfaces 13 and 14 which are joined at top by a sloping surface 15 and at bottom by convergent sloping surfaces 16 and 17 respectively extending from the outer and inner surfaces of the ring segments. The sloping portions of the rings outer surface terminate in rather sharp upper and lower edges which aid in settlement of the ring and facilitate its recovery.

The segments of the annular member are hinged as at 18, so that they may be swung apart to embrace a pile and their opposite ends thereafter held by a latch 19.

A tubular header 20, formed in sections similar' to those of the ring segments, is mounted within the ring segments, the meeting ends of the header being provided with gaskets (not shown) to seal the joints in the header against leakage, thus constituting the header a continuous annular conduit.

Inclined tubes 21 and 22 extend from the header 20 in upward and downward direction, the tubes 21 terminatice ing in an annular series of orifices in the inner surface 14 of the ring and tubes 22 terminating in a similar series oforilices in thel outwardly flaring surface 17 at the bottorn of the ring.

A conduit comprising a hose 23 or extensible pipe extends from a source of water or other fluid under pres- `direction at an acute angle to the axis of the ring and throughout the circumference of the pile.

The inner wall 14 of the ring is of suiciently large diameter to be spaced from the pile and` it carries a series l of rollers 24 which are journaled in brackets 25 projecting radially inwardly. The invention has within its purview, however, to provide guide means in the forml of flat springs orrunners, instead of rollers, for holding the ring spaced from the pile yet permitting it to slide thereon.

Cables 26 are attached to the ring by eye bolts 27 or other suitable fastenings so that. the ring may be raised and retrieved after use.

In use of the device, the ring is opened on its hinge to receive a pile and is then swung to closed position to encircle the pile and is latched. Next, weights are attached to the ring to assist in lowering it by means of the cables and water under high pressure is forced from the orifices 21 and 22. The jetting action of the water excavates the immediate area surrounding the pile, with the result that mud and sediment which are displaced may risc around the pile through the annular space between it and the inner surface of the ring. The action of the upwardly directed jets assists in such upward flow of the removed mud and its dispersal so that the ring will not become buried under an overburden. Under the influence of the added weights on the ring and the erosive action of the jets, the ring will work itself down around the pile sufiiwhich grips it so that the pile may then be drawn and .recovered for further use. Preparatory to pulling the pile when loosened, the ring may be retrieved by means of the cables which are attached to it.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that my invention provides a simple and effective means for recovering embedded piles with minimum effort and expense, and without resulting damage and loss.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. Pile salvage apparatus comprising a hollow ring formed of hinged, semi-circular segments adapted to encircle a pile, said ring having an inner wall of such diameter as to provide an annular space between it and the pile and having a portion lying generally parallel with the surface of the pile, another portion of said inner wall being outwardly flared, oric'es in said ring arranged in annular sries and directed inwardly at an angle to project said iluid at an acute angle to the axis of the ring, and a conduit connecting said ring with a source of fluid under pressure.

2. Pile salvage apparatus comprising a hollow ring formed of hinged, semi-circular segments adapted to encircle a pile and having cables attached thereto for raising and lowering the same on a pile, said ring having an inner wall of such diameter as to provide a space between it and the pile, guide meansprojecting inwardly from said inner wall to hold the ring circumferentially spaced from the pile, one portion of said inner wall lying generally parallel with the pile surface and another portion thereof flaring outwardly and downwardly, an annular series of orifices in the first said portion of the inner wall directed inwardly toward the pile and upwardly at an inclination thereto, a second annular series of orifices in the second said portion of the inner wall directed inwardly toward the vpile and downwardly at an inclination thereto, the

. after use.

3; Pilek salvagel apparatus comprisinga tubular annulus of polygonal cross-section, =.saidannulusfbeing formed! of hinged semi-circular segments adapted toffenci'rclea'p'ile and havingicables attached theretofforiraising-and lowerving the same,a.tubular header-*within*saidfannulus'supported in spaced relation tothe"y wallsl-thereof'lay tubes leading from' the header in fupwardlyl and .downwardly inclined directions andterminatingin oricesinthe`v` inner lwall of the annulus,.saidf=header being formedofsemicircular segments lprovided'` with: fg'askets Lfor l 'sealing the t joints at their meetingedgesg-said annulushaving a cir- ".cular.: inner Vvwalla-adaptednto Ssurround-"a4 pilefand a' 'concentric circulariouten Wall,ftl1e`flowerfprtion ofsaid -inner wall having anloutwardare andltthe-outerwall being inwardly tapered'L atlzb'othnits =top :endl-bottom -`fnzla'rgins, thereby defining wedge-shapedfedgesfwhich facilitatefpene- .is embedded -and its withdrawal therefrom, guide rollers mounted on the inner wall of said annulus and extending radially inward therefromH to engage a pile and hold the annulus circumferentially spaced therefrom in its movement along the pile, the said orifices in the inner wall of the annulus being directed vto: project uid jets toward the axis of the annulus in upwardly and downwardly inclined directions throughoubthe inner circumference of the annulus, anda fluid conduit connecting the header to a source of fluid under-pressure.

-ReferenceslCited inthe file of this patent UNITED. STATES PATENTS 1,409,760 O.Marr Mar. 14, 1922 1,644,560 Bignell Oct. 4, 1927 1,758,767 Taggart May 13, 1930 2,288,316 Focha June 30, 1942 2,354,936 Bignell Aug. 1, 1944 2,357,144 Y -Stair Aug. 29, 1944 2,631,019 "Yates Mar. 10,:'1953 

